I've been getting that lately since I've been playing for a few hours a day and trying to run afterwards. It sucks, but I think it's unavoidable. From what I've read, the best thing to do is to strengthen your core (or maybe that just helps with back pain?), lose weight, and do weight training with your legs.

If you play for a few hours a day for enough days in a row... you will get knee problems. There is no time for rest and recovery and eventually they will break down... or some other part of your legs will break down.

That was my problem growing up. I'd play a few hours 6 days a week every week. No weight training. That along with growth spurts hurt like hell.

Now that I'm older I strength train and play ball Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. Take Wednesday and weekends completely off doing anything physical. I feel better athletically than I ever did. When I'm in a shooting slump it's hell taking days off. I just wanna be in the gym shooting like I used to. But it's necessary taking days off and letting your body heal.

If you play for a few hours a day for enough days in a row... you will get knee problems. There is no time for rest and recovery and eventually they will break down... or some other part of your legs will break down.

Damn, I never knew that, I ball at least an hour a day almost every day should I stop doing this?

If the original poster is a young one (early to mid teens) I'd throw in the possibility of the aforementioned growing pains. Or more specifically, Osgood Schlatters Disease, which is basically a rupturing of a growth plate near the knees generated by accelerated growth.

I spent the latter part of my 8th grade year on into the cusp of my 9th grade year with these knee pains. It was a lot of intermittent play, then ice, then play, then ice. Luckily, people do "grow" out of this condition, if you will.

Damn, I never knew that, I ball at least an hour a day almost every day should I stop doing this?

Well the key word there is almost... That means you are getting some rest. The real key is to just not play too many days in a row. I would recommend at least taking a day off after 2 days... but different people can handle different things and you might be alright while your young. When it starts to hurt tho... you have to stop. You don't want to end up like me... I have pain just getting in and out of the car... and I'm only 21.

No one has any input on my shin splint issue? lol... I'm trying everything to my knowledge... figure there has to be someone else who balls outta control with bad shin splints... and the remedy for them, lol

First of all make sure your shoes are ok.

If you playing on concrete and getting shin splints it is quite standard. You want to stretch and warm up before you start playing, and honestly I think you want to just keep on trucking. One thing to take note of as has been said by other people is that you have to watch out for your knees.

You don't want to jump as hard. If you have very fast-twitch fibers you may very well have more vertical on a very hard concrete floor then you have on wood, but this doesn't mean that your joints, shins, and knees are ready for you to use this explosiveness. Almost no one tears muscles as a result of explosive athletic activity, it is always the joints that suffer, so you need to strengthen those.

Shin splints in particular though aren't an issue of joints it's an issue of how fast you stop, and change direction, so you want to stretch your ankle, and you want to practice quality running, and strengthen your front calves.

I've noticed whenever I play ball my knees hurt when i bend down low to shoot a jumpshot, or just jump overall.. Have any of you experienced this before.. is it something that will go away over time.. I can play through the pain but want to see if any of u guys experienced something like this

I'd go see a doctor about this. I have some friends with this problem and they found out they have less cartilage in their knees than normal. I think they take some prescription drugs or over the counter health supplements now. Check out glucosamine on wikipedia.

If you playing on concrete and getting shin splints it is quite standard. You want to stretch and warm up before you start playing, and honestly I think you want to just keep on trucking. One thing to take note of as has been said by other people is that you have to watch out for your knees.

You don't want to jump as hard. If you have very fast-twitch fibers you may very well have more vertical on a very hard concrete floor then you have on wood, but this doesn't mean that your joints, shins, and knees are ready for you to use this explosiveness. Almost no one tears muscles as a result of explosive athletic activity, it is always the joints that suffer, so you need to strengthen those.

Shin splints in particular though aren't an issue of joints it's an issue of how fast you stop, and change direction, so you want to stretch your ankle, and you want to practice quality running, and strengthen your front calves.

I've recovered from shin splints that lasted several months a few years ago. I've tried many things among which are new shoes, higher arched soles, and stretching. I have to say I couldn't tell if they made any difference because it was only after I forced myself to rest and recover properly when the shin splints went away.

What I recommend is to stop playing basketball for 2 weeks minimum. Spend every day doing some light walking and jogging until you start feeling pain. When I started out, I was amazed to find out it only took me about 5 minutes for my shins to start heating up. But as the days went by I could jog farther and start running again. By the time the 2 weeks were over, I could play pickup an hour or two-hours at a time without any problems.

The key thing to remember is that you should stop whatever physical activity you're doing the moment you feel pain. It's similar when you lift weights. If you feel pain WHILE you're lifting, stop. If you feel sore AFTER, that's good. In this sense, I think it's true when they say listen to your body.

No one has any input on my shin splint issue? lol... I'm trying everything to my knowledge... figure there has to be someone else who balls outta control with bad shin splints... and the remedy for them, lol

Really late but I hope I can help people who read this post. Buy some Nike elite socks, and a good pair of basketball sneakers. Nike elite socks are a must they have helped my shin splints tremendously. I used to have it pretty bad until I purchased a pair. It's $15 for one pair but you can put a price on walking properly

Really late but I hope I can help people who read this post. Buy some Nike elite socks, and a good pair of basketball sneakers. Nike elite socks are a must they have helped my shin splints tremendously. I used to have it pretty bad until I purchased a pair. It's $15 for one pair but you can put a price on walking properly

Really? Thanks I'll try it. I have had the worst shin splints for the past month now. I probably should rest but summers almost over so Im just playing as much as I can.